I couldn't find it on the Estes website. $169.99 is quite pricey. Estes seems to be very proud of this launch pad.
Guess for new rockets in the Estes 2024 Catalog
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Estes is definitely proud of this pad.
Well that's either a rail launch pad or a kitchen spatula strapped to a tripod.
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I like cattle dogs.
I have an 8-foot length of 1010 coming for $45 shipped. A solid speaker stand or other very solid tripod is $40-70. Spend $10 on a TV-mounting bracket at Harbor Freight, $1.25 for a dough slicer at Dollar Tree, and a few bucks for the rest of the hardware, and you'll have something far, far better.
mh9162013
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I have a feeling that launch rail pad isn't for people like us. It's for teachers and group leaders who worry more about the principal or "powers that be" giving approval for model rockets than spending an extra $50 on equipment.
Spatula City is the best thing since Wheel of Fish.
I'll have to think about what the transportability is worth. I would really like to see one in person before seriously considering buying one.
The last two rail pads I built to the design in my Sport Rocketry article came in at $110 each complete (with six-foot rails). One of them is going to see first use with a new ARC team tomorrow.
(These pads include a dough cutter as blast deflector as @SolarYellow mentions).
Supplies!!!
Capt. Eric
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rkoenn
Retired NASA Shuttle Engineer
Or had to cut your finger apart from a part because the CA glued it to your finger.
mh9162013
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You don't use a knife for that. You use muscle power. And if it turns out your part has a layer of your skin on it, so be it. Nothing like literally putting part of yourself in your build.
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You guys are missing the best part -- because it's over $100, shipping should be free.
NTP2
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I think it’s funny that they copied what HPR has been doing for years and called it “a new standard”
Yes I read that this rocket has a choice of fin positions. Can you alter the fins or you have a choice of positions and you can only choose one.
Regards
Yes the Pershing is a big kit, but in these days of high power if Estes did bring this kit back it would be a sellout, no question about it.
mh9162013
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Scott_650
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As mh9162013 referenced above, the Pro Series Parts Assortment comes with railguides.
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I think the launch pad is aimed at ARC participants. It pairs nicely with the parts assortment. Estes can sell them two SKUs (plus maybe a launch controller) and they're off and running. Junior high and high school students (and likely many of their advisors) probably aren't in a position to knock out the light and easy metal fab that may be required to buy a rail and a speaker stand or other tripod and put it all together. This makes Estes the "Easy Button" for a lot of teams to get started, knowing that Estes is unlikely to sell them any motors.
I seriously doubt Estes expects any significant number of individual adult MPR/HPR enthusiast/hobbyists or clubs to buy the rail system.
Capt. Eric
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And I think the ARC (still known as Tarc?
) strongly encourages rails, as do other clubs, which seem to be phasing out 1/4" rods. So if Estes is selling Arc and Tarc kits, they "should" also sell the means to launch them. And perhaps they will also transition to buttons instead of 1/4" lugs for their larger offerings. Not a bad thing, so good for them.Aside from the plethora of adjectives in the description, it would be nice of Estes to add some real and useful information about this rod. How about rail length, base dimensions, weight, folded size, height above the ground. Material of the spatula is about the only thing they list. Gauge of said spatula? Material of the rod and the rest? They say it's "ALL METAL" construction (tin? Iron? Aluminum foil?), but with fiberglass nylon (also known as non-metal) components.
The person (or ai) that wrote that nonsense is like a bad used car salesman. (Apologies to used car salesmen.)
Edit: it does say the rod is a 2-piece, 6ft, aluminum rail, but not what the "usable length" is. (it does look like you'd get almost all of that)
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Capt. Eric
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You choose one configuration when building and it's fixed from then on (unless you rip it apart). And you don't have to use all 5 fins. Can go with 3, 4, or 5. It's a simple, small, well flying little rocket. Good start to learning how to attach fins. The bulk packs for groups are a good idea so kids can have a little variety.Yes I read that this rocket has a choice of fin positions. Can you alter the fins or you have a choice of positions and you can only choose one.
Regards
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Yes I read that this rocket has a choice of fin positions. Can you alter the fins or you have a choice of positions and you can only choose one.
Regards
I choose none. All the die-cut cards are so curved the fins would be better propeller blades than fins. I bought a bulk pack when they were cheap on Amazon, but I look at it as just a bunch of parts for cheap, not a bunch of Viking kits.
mh9162013
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That's an interesting point...
What reason would a company like Estes have for not including an MSRP in their catalog? Isn't it fair to assume most consumers understand that the prices from a manufacturer's website or catalog are often going to be higher or at least the same as most retailers?
Has anyone received a printed copy to confirm that the prices haven't been added? I wondered if they just released the PDF before that was finalized.
mh9162013
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It wouldn't suprise me if the writer for the launch rail system didn't have all the information when writing the description; perhaps the final design was still being worked on.And I think the ARC (still known as Tarc?
Aside from the plethora of adjectives in the description, it would be nice of Estes to add some real and useful information about this rod. How about rail length, base dimensions, weight, folded size, height above the ground. Material of the spatula is about the only thing they list. Gauge of said spatula? Material of the rod and the rest? They say it's "ALL METAL" construction (tin? Iron? Aluminum foil?), but with fiberglass nylon (also known as non-metal) components.
The person (or ai) that wrote that nonsense is like a bad used car salesman. (Apologies to used car salesmen.)
Capt. Eric
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I don't buy that. That might have been true at some point in the planning process, but by the time it goes on sale, they would have known exactly what they are selling. It only takes a few minutes to alter the web page by adding a few lines of information, and that could have been long before the page was posted.
Yet another example of poor marketing and/or website management. Estes has had a lot of mistakes with their website lately (new items sold at $0 on several occasions for example). Whoever is running their site is definitely an amateur, or working for minimum wage and just doesn't care.
Another example of Estes' recent decline in some ways (yet improving in other ways). I am still waiting for resolution to a customer service issue I submitted a month ago, that they acknowledged, but have not actually responded to. Things are changing at Estes, and it isn't all good. Nice new products are great, but you can't forget the basics. And in these days of increasing competition (how many "garage" rocket companies are there now?) you had better retain customer loyalty to your brand. They are losing that battle quickly.
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